Exodus4
English Standard Version
1Then , But , they will not me or to my , for they will , The Lord did not to you.
2The Lord to him, What is that in your ? He , A .
3And he , it on the . So he it on the , and it became a , and it.
4But the Lord to , Put your and it by the —so he put his and it, and it became a in his —
5that they may that the Lord, the of their , the of , the of , and the of , has to you.
6 , the Lord to him, your inside your . And he his inside his , and when he took it , behold, his was like .
7Then God , your your . So he his his , and when he it , behold, it was like the rest of his .
8If they will not you, God said, or the , they may the .
9If they will not even these or to your , you shall some from the and it on the , and the that you shall from the will become on the .
10But to the Lord, , my , I am not , in the or you have to your , but I am of and .
11Then the Lord to him, Who has ? Who him , or , or , or ? Is it not I, the Lord?
12 therefore , and I will be with your and you what you shall .
13But he , , my , .
14Then the of the Lord was against and he , Is there not , your , the ? I that he can . Behold, he is to you, and when he you, he will be in his .
15You shall to him and the in his , and I will be with your and with his and will you both what to .
16He shall for you to the , and he shall be your , and you shall be as to him.
17And in your this , with which you shall the .
18 to his and to him, let me to my in to whether they are . And to , in .
19And the Lord to in , to , for all the who were your are .
20So his and his and had them on a , and went to the of . And the of in his .
21And the Lord to , When you to , that you all the that I have in your . But I will his , so that he will not the .
22Then you shall to , Thus the Lord, is my ,
23and I to you, my that he may me. If you to let him , behold, I will your .
24At a on the the Lord him and to put him to .
25Then a and her and Moses’ with it and , you are a of to me!
26So he let him . It was then that she , A of , because of the .
27The Lord to , into the to . So he and him at the of and him.
28And all the of the Lord with which he had him to speak, and all the that he had him to do.
29Then and and all the of the of .
30 all the that the Lord had to and the in the of the .
31And the ; and when they that the Lord had the of and that he had their , they bowed their and .
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Exodus 4.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: God gives Moses power to work miracles. (1–9). Moses is loth to be sent, Aaron is to assist him. (10–17). Moses leaves Midian, God's message to Pharaoh. (18–23). God's displeasure against Moses, Aaron meets him, The people believe them. (24–31).
vv1-9
Moses objects, that the people would not take his word, unless he showed them some sign. God gives him power to work miracles. But those who are now employed to deliver God's messages to men, need not the power to work miracles: their character and their doctrines are to be tried by that word of God to which they appeal. These miracles especially referred to the miracles of the Lord Jesus Christ. It belonged to Him only, to cast the power of the devil out of the soul, and to heal the soul of the leprosy of sin; and so it was for Him first to cast the devil out of the body, and to heal the leprosy of the body.
vv10-17
Moses continued backward to the work God designed him for; there was much of cowardice, slothfulness, and unbelief in him. We must not judge of men by the readiness of their discourse. A great deal of wisdom and true worth may be with a slow tongue. God sometimes makes choice of those as his messengers, who have the least of the advantages of art or nature, that his grace in them may appear the more glorious. Christ's disciples were no orators, till the Holy Spirit made them such. God condescends to answer the excuse of Moses. Even self-diffidence, when it hinders us from duty, or clogs us in duty, is very displeasing to the Lord. But while we blame Moses for shrinking from this dangerous service, let us ask our own hearts if we are not neglecting duties more easy, and less perilous. The tongue of Aaron, with the head and heart of Moses, would make one completely fit for this errand. God promises, I will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth. Even Aaron, who could speak well, yet could not speak to purpose, unless God gave constant teaching and help; for without the constant aid of Divine grace, the best gifts will fail.
vv18-23
After God had appeared in the bush, he often spake to Moses. Pharaoh had hardened his own heart against the groans and cries of the oppressed Israelites; and now God, in the way of righteous judgment, hardens his heart against the teaching of the miracles, and the terror of the plagues. But whether Pharaoh will hear, or whether he will forbear, Moses must tell him, Thus saith the Lord. He must demand a discharge for Israel, Let my son go; not only my servant, whom thou hast no right to detain, but my son. It is my son that serves me, and therefore must be spared, must be pleaded for. In case of refusal I will slay thy son, even thy first-born. As men deal with God's people, let them expect so to be dealt with.
Key Words
מֹשֶׁה: Mosheh, the Israelite lawgiver
הֵן: lo!; also (as expressing surprise) if
אָמַן: properly, to build up or support; to foster as a parent or nurse; figuratively to render (or be) firm or faithful, to trust or believe, to be permanent or quiet; morally to be true or certain;
שָׁמַע: to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to tell, etc.)
קוֹל: a voice or sound
אָמַר: to say (used with great latitude)
רָאָה: to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive, intransitive and causative)
יָד: a hand (the open one (indicating power, means, direction, etc.),
מַטֶּה: a branch (as extending); figuratively, a tribe; also a rod, whether for chastising (figuratively, correction), ruling (a sceptre), throwing (a lance), or walking (a staff; figuratively, a support of life, e.g. bread)
שָׁלַךְ: to throw out, down or away (literally or figuratively)
Cross References
Exodus 4Direct parallel of a hand turned leprous as snow as a sign of divine power.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Direct prophetic/typological application of God calling His son (Israel/Christ) out of Egypt.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
Contrasts Moses' claim of being slow of speech with being 'mighty in words and deeds.'
Supported by Matthew Poole
Jesus' promise to his disciples that it shall be given them what they shall speak.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Fulfillment of God's promise that Aaron was coming forth to meet Moses.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Paul uses God's hardening of Pharaoh's heart to explain divine sovereignty in election.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
Cites Hosea 11:1 applying the 'my son' out of Egypt typology directly to Jesus.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
The direct execution of the warning to slay Pharaoh's firstborn in the final plague.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
The covenant penalty for uncircumcision explains why God met Moses in anger to kill him.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, John Calvin, JFB
Clarifies the relationship where Moses is as God and Aaron is his prophet.
Verbal echo used by the angel to Joseph: 'for they are dead which sought the child's life.'
Identifies 'the adoption' as belonging to Israel, echoing their designation here as God's firstborn.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
Parallels Zipporah's use of a sharp stone/flint for the circumcision rite.
Supported by JFB
Fulfillment of God's promise that Aaron was coming to meet Moses and speak for him.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, JFB
Fulfills the command given at the burning bush to gather the elders of Israel.
Supported by Matthew Henry, John Calvin
New Testament parallel of laying hold of a serpent unharmed as a sign.
Identifies the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob appearing to Moses.
The fulfillment of the sign on a national scale, turning Nile water into blood.
Parallels Moses' reluctant desire to evade God's commission, similar to Jonah.
New Testament parallel regarding the spiritual reality and judicial nature of heart-hardening.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
Repeats the divine plan to harden Pharaoh's heart and multiply signs in Egypt.
Supported by Matthew Poole, John Calvin
Historical poetic summary of the judgment of the firstborn throughout Egypt.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Establishes circumcision as the literal token of the covenant between God and Abraham's seed.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Aaron performs the exact signs given to Moses in the earlier part of the chapter.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
The people rejoice that God looked upon their affliction, fulfilling His words to Moses.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, John Calvin
Aaron speaks the words and does the signs in the sight of the people.
Affirms God's sovereignty over human senses: 'He that planted the ear, shall he not hear?'
Contrasts the living Pharaoh who sought Moses' life with his death in verse 19.
Supported by JFB
The post-Passover worship of the people directly mirrors their response of faith here.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Stresses the importance of the rod that Moses must take to perform signs.